The invention relates to a guide trough for energy guiding chains, where the guide trough has parallel lateral guide elements and bottom guide elements, between or on which the energy guiding chain can be deposited, and a support structure with support elements which support the guide elements and on which the guide elements are mounted, where mounting devices for mounting the support elements on an essentially vertical surface are provided.
Generic guide troughs are available for specific applications in which the guide troughs must be mounted on essentially vertical surfaces, such as walls, beams or the like. Conditions of this kind exist, for example, when energy guiding chains are used in crane systemsxe2x80x94without being restricted to this applicationxe2x80x94where the energy guiding chains are deposited in loop-shaped fashion, forming an upper strand, a lower strand and a deflection zone.
Up to now, guide troughs have been mounted on the vertical surface by first mounting a support structure on the vertical surface, which projects outwardly from the side of the wall or beam, and whose width is at least equal to that of the guide trough. A conventional guide trough, the bottom of which can be mounted on a base structure, is then screwed to the support structure. The mounting of guide troughs of this kind is very time-consuming and work-intensive, because both the support structure must be screwed tight on the vertical surface and the guide trough on the support structure in a time-consuming procedure. Moreover, both the support structure and the guide trough must be aligned in relation to the envisaged travel path of the energy guiding chain.
Consequently, the object of the invention is to devise a guide trough which is of simple design and can be mounted on a vertical surface with minimal assembly.
The object is solved in that corresponding means for the preferably detachable mounting of the guide elements are integrally moulded on the support elements and on the lateral and/or bottom guide elements. These means are integrally moulded on at least one, but preferably all guide elements of the guide trough. The mounting means integrally moulded on the support and guide elements greatly simplify assembly. In this context, the mounting means are preferably designed such that the assembly of the support elements already aligns the mounting areas for the guide elements and defines their position relative to the vertical surface.
The support elements preferably have at least one, essentially vertical rest for at least one of the lateral guide elements, thus already providing one lateral mount for the guide trough and further simplifying mounting and alignment of the guide elements.
The length of the support elements in the longitudinal direction of the guide trough is preferably small compared to the length of the guide elements, and particularly preferably small compared to the width of the guide trough. However, the length of the support elements can also be in the region of the length of the guide elements, or also exceed it. The length of the guide elements preferably amounts to a multiple of the width of the guide trough. The width of the support elements is preferably equal to that of the guide trough, so that the support elements support the guide elements over their entire width. However, the width of the support elements can also be smaller.
The support elements can be mounted indirectly or directly on the vertical surface.
The support structure preferably has multiple, preferably 3 to 5 or more, support elements, which are each associated with one guide element, arranged to face one another, and spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the guide trough. The width of the support elements can be essentially equivalent to, or smaller than, the width of the mounting areas associated with the vertical surface. In particular, the support elements can be created by shortening a long profile, where only the mounting areas associated with the vertical surface, e.g. through-holes or blind holes, must be moulded.
The support elements are preferably of one-part design, although they can also be of multi-part design, if necessary, and have separate vertical rests, for example. In this case, the means for connecting the parts of the support elements to one another are preferably integrally moulded on them. In order to adapt the support elements to different dimensions of the energy guiding chain (e.g. width and/or height of the same) and/or different inclinations of the essentially vertical mounting surfaces, the support elements can have adjustors for changing the dimensions and/or geometry of the same, or suitable adapters or spacers.
It should be understood here that the mounting means for connecting the support elements to the guide elements, and/or the parts of the support elements to one another, preferably consist exclusively of mounting means that are integrally moulded on them.
The at least one vertical rest on the support elements for the guide elements can be provided on the side of the support elements facing towards or away from the vertical surface. Vertical rests for the guide elements facing towards and away from the vertical surface are preferably provided, which are preferably integrally moulded on the support element, without being restricted to this.
The support elements preferably have a mounting area, which is at an angle to the support area located underneath the guide elements, is used to fix the support element to the vertical surface, advantageously extends in the direction of the guide elements, and preferably also forms a lateral rest for the at least one, associated guide element. Thus, the support element is preferably of essentially L, Z or U-shaped design, meaning that the support element preferably has one or two side legs, where one of the end legs can be mounted on the vertical surface.
In the case of a support element with a U-shaped profile, in particular, but also in the case of other profiles with two side legs, the two side legs can be of different heights. The longer side leg is preferably provided with mounting means for mounting the support element on the vertical surface. Mounting means of this kind can be designed, for example, as through-holes or blind holes for accommodating separate mounting means, such as screws or the like, where other suitable mounting means can also be provided.
Regardless of the shape of the support element, one or both of its lateral rests for the guide elements can be lower than the guide trough. Thus, the lateral guide elements of the guide trough are preferably higher than the side legs of the support elements. The vertical rests preferably extend over more than half, e.g. ⅔ or more, of the height of the guide elements.
The mounting means for the guide elements on the support elements are preferably designed as corresponding projections and recesses. For example, the mounting means can be designed as positive and/or non-positive connectors, particularly as snap elements, where mounting can be achieved by inserting the guide elements into the support elements. The direction in which the elements are to be moved towards one another for mounting can correspond to the longitudinal direction of the guide trough, or a direction perpendicular to it, without being restricted to this. If necessary, the guide elements can also be mounted on the support elements by means of (e.g. lateral) pivoting motion, where the projections are inserted into the corresponding recesses by means of this motion and can thus be mounted on the support elements in detachable fashion. If necessary, the mounting means can also be designed in some other suitable manner. The means for mounting the support and guide elements to one another can simultaneously ensure the non-shift positioning of the guide elements on the support elements or, if necessary, separate anti-shift elements can be provided.
The guide elements are preferably provided with externally arranged projections protruding from the sides and/or bottom, which engage corresponding recesses in the support elements. The projections can extend over the entire length of the guide elements or over part of the length. The projections can each have a thickness that enables them to simultaneously act as reinforcing ribs, where the thickness of the ribs can be greater than half the thickness, or greater than the full thickness of the support elements, without being restricted to this. The lateral extension of the projections can be somewhere between half the wall thickness and the full wall thickness of the guide elements, or greater than the wall thickness, without being restricted to this. The mounting projections of the guide elements can have an essentially elliptical or oval cross-section. If necessary, several consecutive mounting projections can also be integrally moulded on the guide elements in their longitudinal direction. At least one projection which supports a guided energy guiding chain is preferably provided on a bottom area, and at least one projection which laterally guides a guided energy guiding chain on a lateral guide area of the guide element.
In terms of their height and/or width, the guide elements preferably extend in one piece over the entire area of the guide trough that accommodates the energy guiding chain, where the guide trough is positioned below or above the energy guiding chain, so that the side and/or bottom or top of the energy guiding chain is partially or fully guarded and guided by the guide elements. In this context, the lower region of the energy guiding chain is formed by the lower strand and possibly the upper strand deposited on it. The upper region is formed by the highest point of the deflection zone of the energy guiding chain, or by its self-supporting upper strand. The guide elementsxe2x80x94possibly several arranged consecutively and separated by spacers, or preferably in contact with one another on their face ends sidesxe2x80x94preferably form a closed side wall and/or a bottom or top wall over the entire length of the guide trough. Thus, the height of the guide elements preferably exceeds the combined height of the upper and lower strand.
In particular, the guide elements can have an essentially L-shaped cross-section, where the cross-section of the guide trough is formed by two directly adjacent or laterally separated guide elements, the bottom legs of which can point towards one another. The guide elements are preferably of U-shaped design, so that they guide the energy guiding chain on both sides, as well as on the bottom. However, several lateral guide elements, separated from one another in the vertical and/or lateral direction, can also be provided, if necessary.
The mounting projections for connecting the guide elements to the support elements can be provided on one of the lateral guide elements, preferably on its upper half, and adjacent to the lateral guide elements on the bottom. As a result, both L and U-shaped guide elements can be securely fastened to the support elements.
The mounting means of the guide and cover elements on the support elements are preferably arranged on the vertical surface or a mounting profile in vertically offset fashion relative to the mounting means or positions of the support elements.
The mounting means of the support elements and/or the guide elements preferably project towards one another, so that the outside surfaces of the guide elements can be mounted on the support elements at a distance from them. As a result, except in the mounting areas, slot or slit-shaped spaces are formed between the guide and support elements, which can compensate for manufacturing tolerances and also dampen the noise generated by the travel motion of the energy guiding chain.
The bottom mounting means of the guide elements are preferably designed as strips extending in the longitudinal direction of the guide trough and arranged at the height of the side sections of the travelling energy guiding chain. In this context, the transverse extension of the projections preferably essentially corresponds to the width of the side sections of the energy guiding chain, or its contact surface on the guide elements, without being restricted to this. Guide elements of different widths and/or heights are preferably provided, which can be interchanged at will and mounted on the same support elements. The mounting means of the different guide elements can thus, for example, be arranged at the same vertical height and/or the same width, referred to a reference point on the guide trough. If necessary, several vertically and/or laterally separated mounting areas can be provided on the support elements and/or guide elements, so that guide elements of different heights and/or widths can be mounted on one and the same given support structure.
The guide elements can be made of a material that is more or less elastically deformable, or essentially rigid under the weight of the guide trough, particularly a plastic material. The support elements are made of an essentially rigid material, such as a plastic material or a lightweight metal, without being restricted to this.
According to an advantageous configuration, the guide trough comprises support elements with associated lateral and/or top cover elements, which preferably have corresponding mounting means integrally moulded on the support and guide elements. The cover elements partially or, preferably, fully cover the side and/or top of the upper region of the energy guiding chain, i.e. the self-supporting upper strand or the top deflection zone, and thus protect it against external influences. Coverage is preferably provided over the entire height and/or width of the strand of the energy guiding chain and over the entire length of the guide trough. The cover elements have only a subordinate guiding function, if any. The support elements and/or the cover elements can be of the same design as the support elements and guide elements associated with the bottom strand of the energy guiding chain, so that all explanations provided in this description also apply accordingly to the support and cover elements associated with the upper strand. In particular, this applies to the design of the respective mounting means.
According to an advantageous configuration, the support elements associated with the lower and upper region of the energy guiding chain to be guided are connected to one another, preferably in one piece, possibly by separate spacers. In particular, a support structure of this kind can be designed as a one-piece, elongated profile, such as an extruded profile or continuous-cast profile.
The distance between the vertically arranged support elements, whose lateral support legs face one another, is preferably such that it is slightly greater than the height of the deflection zone of the energy guiding chain to be guided. In this context, the areas of the support elements associated with both the upper and lower sections of the energy guiding chain can be equipped with mounting means for connecting the guide trough to the vertical surface.
According to an advantageous configuration, a long mounting profile arranged in the longitudinal direction of the energy guiding chain to be guided is provided, which is designed for mounting a number of support elements arranged in the longitudinal direction of the energy guiding chain. The profile can have preferably integrally moulded mounting devices for mounting on the vertical surface, such as through-holes for accommodating mounting elements, or snap elements, without being restricted to this. The mounting profile can be part of the support elements, or mounted on them in detachable fashion. The mounting profile can be designed for mounting of the support elements associated with the lower and/or upper region of the energy guiding chain to be guided, and thus extend, for example, essentially over the height of the lateral guide elements, or essentially over the total height of the energy guiding chain, i.e. including the deflection zone or a self-supporting upper strand. Because the mounting profile is connected by means of a small number of mounting points on a vertical surface, numerous support elements can be assembled in particularly simple fashion or vertical mounting surfaces bridged.
The long mounting profile is preferably adapted to the path of the guide trough and can be of linear or, if necessary, also curved designed.
The mounting profile can be designed as a hollow profile with an essentially rectangular cross-section, which can have one or more hollow chambers that are closed on all sides and extend in the longitudinal direction of the guide trough. If necessary, the hollow chambers can be of partially open design, e.g. along a side surface extending in the longitudinal direction of the trough. The hollow chambers can be designed to be open at the face end. In particular, the mounting profile can be provided with mounting means, such has through-holes for accommodating screws or other mounting elements arranged on the vertical height between two adjacent hollow profiles. Of course, the mounting profiles can also be of some other suitable design.
At pre-determined points, or at least in sections, the support elements can be shifted on the mounting profiles in the longitudinal and/or transverse direction of the mounting profiles, and they can be mounted in freely selected positions, or a number of pre-defined positions arranged, for example, in the manner of a grid.
In particular, the mounting profile can have mounting areas for mounting the support elements associated with the lower strand and the upper strand of the energy guiding chain to be guided. In this context, the mounting profile can extend over the entire length and/or height of the guide elements or the entire guide trough, or a section of the same. If necessary, several mounting profiles separated from one another can be provided, which have means for being aligned relative to one another.
The support elements and/or the guide elements and/or the mounting profiles of the guide trough can be profiles that can be cut to length as required. In particular, the mounting means for mounting the above components on one another, or the components on the vertical surface, can be designed such that, when cut to length as required or shortened in the region of a length equal to one or more widths of the guide trough, they enable proper mounting of the components on one another or on the vertical surface. For this purpose, the mounting means can, for example, be provided as long profiles or punctiform mounting means, where the distance between the mounting means is equal to roughly the width of the trough, or a small multiple thereof, e.g. two to three times the same. For example, the mounting means of the mounting profile that are associated with the vertical surface can be arranged in the centre between the support elements, which are separated from one another in the longitudinal direction of the guide trough, where the distance between the support elements in the longitudinal direction of the trough is equal to one, two or three times the trough width, without being restricted to this.
In particular, a shortenable profile is provided in accordance with the invention, comprising pre-assembled support elements and guide elements, or support elements, guide elements and mounting profiles. The length of the shortenable profiles can be in the region of one to several meters, e.g. up to six meters. In particular, a prefabricated system consisting of guide profiles and support elements can be provided in accordance with the invention, which also includes a preassembled energy guiding chain, particularly also with preassembled connections for mounting the energy guiding chain or for connecting the lines, cables or the like to be guided by it. In particular, a prefabricated system of this kind can also include a mounting profile.